15809: (Hermantin)Sunsentinel-Interim pastor arrives to help Delray church (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Interim pastor arrives to help Delray church following sex abuse case



By Nancy L. Othón
Staff Writer

June 9, 2003

DELRAY BEACH -- The Rev. Elie Louissaint anticipated feelings of betrayal,
confusion and, perhaps, bitterness among worshipers as he thought about what
he would say during his Sunday sermon at Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Edouane Jean, the spiritual leader of the church, resigned May 31, a day
before Delray Beach police arrested him on 200 criminal charges related to
sexual battery and lewd molestation of a young girl during a nine-year
period.

"We need to speak to the congregation about forgiveness and reconciliation,
because I understand they are divided," Louissaint said last week. "Maybe
some of them don't like what's going on, and they are angry. We need to as a
church unite."

Louissaint, pastor at Salem Haitian Lutheran Mission in Lake Worth, was
chosen by officials from the Florida-Georgia district of the Lutheran Church
Missouri Synod to lead Emmanuel temporarily.

It was important to find another Creole-speaking pastor immediately to offer
support to the congregation of nearly 400, said the Rev. Gerhard C. Michael
Jr., president of the Florida-Georgia district.

Jean, 48, started Emmanuel Lutheran Church about 15 years ago by giving
sermons on a friend's front porch. The congregation grew, and Trinity
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Delray Beach began to host the congregation
in 1990, allowing worshipers at Emmanuel to meet for services on its
property until money was raised to build a church for Emmanuel on Southwest
Sixth Street. The church celebrated its first anniversary at that location
last December.

"We are seeking to provide both pastoral support as well as to provide them
with guidance," Michael said. "I'm confident that with the Lord's blessing
and with our desire to serve and work with them that they will work their
way through this."

Included in the allegations against Jean were accusations he engaged in
improper behavior with the girl while he worked in the offices Trinity
provided him. Officials at Trinity reassured their own worshipers last week
the office space was separate from other offices and classrooms of Trinity
Lutheran School, and Jean did not interact with any Trinity Lutheran School
children.

"We pray for all those affected by this tragedy and look to our gracious God
for justice, comfort, peace and healing," said the Rev. C. Scott Gress,
Trinity's senior pastor, in a written statement.

The investigation is continuing, said Delray Beach police Detective John
Young, who arrested Jean. As is customary in any case where an adult who has
access to children is charged with crimes against minors, Young has asked
church officials to ensure anyone in the congregation who knows of any
wrongdoing on Jean's part comes forward.

Police began investigating the pastor after Trinity officials contacted them
in late January with allegations Jean had gotten a 17-year-old Miami-Dade
County girl pregnant in early 1999, according to police records. Michael
said church officials had received a complaint suggesting Jean "ought not be
in the ministry."

Young said he was unable to file charges against Jean because the three-year
statute of limitations had expired.

"When I got word back from Delray police that they could not pursue it, that
led me to keep on investigating to see if we could determine what was what,"
Michael said.

Church officials continued to investigate and learned of the current
allegations against Jean, which were reported to police.

"We were seeking to be responsible because we have a zero tolerance policy
in our church about it, but we want to also honor due process and look out
for the rights of both the accused and the accuser," Michael said.

Michael said he is deeply saddened by what has happened and is concerned
about Jean, his family and the congregation.

Some members of the congregation feel betrayed, Louissaint said.

"It doesn't look good for the congregation or the church or for pastors, for
anybody," Louissaint said. "We know this is a difficult situation for
everybody. We will try to give all the support we can to the congregation so
that it does not become divided."

Jean remains in the Palm Beach County Jail without bond. His family has
declined to comment on the case.

Nancy L. Othón can be reached at nothon@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6633.
Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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